JORGE MANILLA

Human Waste / Organic Waste

7 November - 22 December 2024

Text by  Elena Karpilova

The exhibition of Jorge Manilla's works is a collection of thoughts, feelings, and memories, which he describes as “a complex network of symbols.”

A nomad, migrating both physically and mentally, Jorge gathers fragments, reconstructing reality and memories of his native land. He employs a recognizable artistic approach that reflects the kind of  nostalgia captured in artifacts: continuous engagement with materials, objets trouvés from the lands of Mexico…

Leather, birds' nests, seeds—these organic components are inextricably bound with artificial elements and techniques. This intertwining of the living and the dead, the contrast between the brutal essence of nature and the delicate craftsmanship of the artist, as well as the items we often define as waste and intricately cast metal fragments, gives rise to new chimera-like creations. 

Some of the objects in the exhibition are made from parts of plants that are broken and then reassembled. Is this not the life of an emigrant: to find oneself in a new context, to shatter against its otherness? These shards of oneself could signify the end, death, and the destruction of the flesh. But they could also be used to reassemble oneself, piece by piece, like a mosaic. The newly assembled mosaic doesn’t have to be perfect or match the originally intended version. These shards become the material for creating something and someone new. 

Jorge Manilla, born in Mexico City, is an artist based between Oslo, Norway, and Ghent, Belgium. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in sculpture from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent, followed by a Bachelor’s and later a Master’s in art jewelry from St. Lucas University College of Art and Design in Antwerp, completing his studies in 2006. Manilla began teaching in Belgium shortly after graduating, taking on roles in cities including Brussels, Sint-Niklaas, and Antwerp. He also conducted doctoral research at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp from 2014 to 2018, with a focus on his project “Other Bodies - Fragments Are Not Just Small Parts.” Currently, Manilla is a professor of metals and art jewelry at the National Academy of Art in Oslo, Norway, a role he has held since 2017. Alongside his teaching, he actively participates as a visiting professor, jury member, and tutor at various European institutions and organizations across South America, contributing to art programs and leading workshops on creative, technical, and conceptual practices. Manilla’s work is represented in numerous museums, private collections, and foundations worldwide.

Photo: Leona Marie Špačková